Article for household or industrial cleaning made of a fabric of the knitted type

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an article for household or industrial cleaning comprising one or more flexible elements intended for contacting a surface to be cleaned manufactured as a fabric of the knitted type. The fabric may be both weft knit and warp knit and is made into strips that are assembled for forming the desired cleaning articles.

The present invention relates to an article for household or industrial cleaning made of a fabric of the knitted type.

There currently are cleaning articles available on the market, such as mops and fringes for industrial or household use, consisting in their cleaning part of non-woven fabric (TNT) strips or twisted or spiral yarns, of various dimensions, weight and composition.

These products, however, exhibit some drawbacks such as, in the case of articles made of TNT for cleaning floors, a poor cleaning efficacy in all of the floor points, in particular in the proximity of corners, due to the structure stiffness imparted by the TNT.

While the articles made with twisted or spiral yarns, as described in patent EP 1362544, have greater softness compared to the products made with TNT, are little effective due the high wear they are subject to, which causes a loss of the spiral structure with consequent destruction of the product, which must therefore be replaced, leading to an increase in the usage costs.

It would therefore be desirable to obtain articles for household or industrial cleaning capable of being effective on any surface to be treated, which reach any points of such surfaces and which are not subject to quick wear.

Another object of the present invention therefore is to provide an article of household or industrial cleaning comprising very light and performing materials with a high absorbing capacity, capable of cleaning any surface in any point without wearing quickly.

A further object of the present invention is to make articles for household or industrial cleaning which should be very light and bulky compared to the traditional materials used in the production of cleaning articles.

According to the present invention, the above objects are achieved by an article for household or industrial cleaning comprising one or more flexible elements intended for contacting a surface to be cleaned, characterized in that said flexible elements comprise a fabric of the knitted type.

Using an article according to the present invention it is possible to obtain systems for household or industrial cleaning which perform their functions to the best, that is, absorbing dirt, retaining dust and impurities of the surfaces to be cleaned, easily reaching all the points, including corners, interspaces and recesses. Moreover, articles according to the present invention have the advantage of not wearing out quickly and they can be made at limited costs.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an article for household or industrial cleaning, shown below.

By the term article for household or industrial cleaning according to the present invention it is meant a tool suitable for removing the dirt present on surfaces of any material and dimension and which performs its function thanks to the friction of one or more parts it is made of with the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning action may occur both with the aid of water and products for removing dirt from the floors, for example soaps or detergents, and thanks to the simple action of dirt removal that is retained by the structure of the support used.

Some examples of cleaning articles according to the present invention are illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A shows an example of knitted fabric strip made with a weft knitting loom (of the sliver knitting type).

FIG. 1B shows an example of knitted fabric strip made with a warp knitting loom.

FIG. 2A shows a continuous thread mop made with strips of weft knitted fabric (of the sliver knitting type).

FIG. 2B shows a continuous thread mop made with strips of weft knitted fabric in the assembly step.

FIG. 3 shows a cut thread fringe for floor cleaning.

FIG. 4 shows a continuous thread stiff fringed plate made with a Rachel or tufted procedure.

FIG. 5A shows a scheme of the knitted weaving mechanism with needles of a warp loom of the Raschel type.

FIG. 5B shows a guiding joint of a warp knitting loom of the Raschel type.

FIG. 6 shows a simplified scheme of the weaving process of a weft knitted fabric made with a circular loom for sliver knitting.

As known, the forming of a traditional fabric requires two essential elements, and in particular the warp, consisting of side by side and parallel threads, and wefts that are arranged crosswise.

For the objects of the present invention, by the term fabric of the knitted type it is meant a fabric consisting of a single element, weft or warp, which is produced on looms and machines the main production unit whereof is a needle that allows curvilinear braiding consisting of knits that develop in crosswise direction in the weft fabrics, or of knits that develop in vertical direction in the warp fabrics.

The structure of an article according to the present invention comprises a fabric made with a warp or weft knitting loom. FIGS. 1A and 1B show an example of weft knitted fabric 10, hereinafter referred to as sliver knitting, and an example of warp knitted fabric 20, hereinafter referred to as mesh. This fabric that makes up the cleaning part of the articles described herein, is manufactured into strips of various width already on the loom, and therefore with the selvages already knitted and not cut thereafter. This allows quick assembly of the articles to be manufactured with production cost and time saving.

The warp knitted fabric is preferably manufactured on Raschel looms, therefore with the use of flat or piston needles, wherethrough it is possible to obtain various types of fabric, such as for example terry cloth, mesh, stocking, charmause, etc.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show some elements of the weaving mechanism of a Raschel loom, wherein it is possible to see the guiding joints 70 fitted with slots 71 wherein thread 72 that will form the fabric is threaded.

The links that characterize the different types of fabric made with warp knitting looms are made thanks to the simultaneous movement of the warp threads 72 and of needles 101, mounted on a needle holding bar 100, which make up the loom. Below are some examples of possible links for knitted fabrics obtained with a Raschel loom:

GB1 1-0// GB1-A GB1 1-0/0-1// GB1-A GB1- 1-0/1-2/2-3/1-2// GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB2- 2-3/2-1/1-0/1-2// GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB1- 2/3/2-1/3-2/1-0/1-2/1-O// GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB2 1-0/1-2/1-0/2-3/2-1/2-3// GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB1- 1-0/0-1/1-0/2-3/3-2/2-3// GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB2- 0-0/1-1/0-0/3-3/2-2/3-3// GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB1 0-1/1-0/3-2/2-3// GB1 = • A GB1 = A • GB1 = • B GB1 = B • GB2 2-2/0-0/1-1/3-3// GB2 = • B GB2 = B • GB2 = • A GB2 = A • GB1 1-0/0-1/1-0/1-2/2-1/1-2// GB1-FULL A GB2 0-0/1-1/0-0/2-2/1-1/2-2// GB2-FULL B GB1 1-0/1-1/1-0/1-2/1-1/1-2// GB1-FULL B GB2 0-0/0-1/0-0/2-2/2-1/2-2// GB2-FULL A GB1 1-1/1-0/1-1/1-2// GB1-FULL A GB2 1-2/0-0/1-0/2-2// GB2-FULL B GB1- 1-0/1-2/1-0/1-2/3-4/3-2/3-4/2-1// GB1-AAA• GB1-• AAA GB1- 3-4/3-2/3-4/2-1/1-0/1-2/1-0/1-2// GB2-BBB• GB2-• BBB GB1 1-0/2-3/4-5/3-2// GB1 = AAAAA• GB1 = •AAAAA GB2 4-5/3-2/1-0/2-3// GB2 = BBBBB• GB2 = •BBBBB GB1 2-3/2-1/1-0/1-2// GB1 = • B GB1 = B• GB2 1-0/1-2/2-3/2-1// GB2 = • A GB2 = A• GB1 2-0/2-2/2-0/2-2/2-0/4-4/4- GB1-• A 2/4-4/4-2/4-4// GB2 0-0/0-2/0-0/0-2/0-0/2-4/2- GB2-• B 2/2-4/2-2/2-4// GB1 1-0/1-2/1-0/2-3/4-5/6-7/7-8/7- GB1-•BBBBBBBBBBB GB1- 6/7-8/6-5/4-3/2-1// BBBBBBBBBBB• GB2 7-8/7-6/7-8/6-5/4-3/2-1/1-0/1- GB2-•AAAAAAAAAAA GB2- 2/1-0/2-3/4-5/6-7// AAAAAAAAAAA• GB2 0-1-1/1-0-0// GB2-• B GB2-B• GB2-• B GB2-B• GB3 5-5-5/0-0-0// GB3-C • GB3-•C GB3-•C GB3-C • GB1 0-1/3-2// GB1-FULL A GB2 0-1/3-2// GB2-FULL B GB3 0-1/1-0// GB3-FULL C GB1 1-0/0-1// X3 GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 1-1/3-3/1-1/2-2/0-0/2-2// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 2-2/0-0/2-2/1-1/3-3/1-1// GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB3-•C GB1 (1-0/0-1)X2// GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 6-7/6-7/1-0/1-0// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 1-0/1-0/6-7/6-7// GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB3-•C GB1 (1-0/0-1)X2// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 1-2/1-1/1-2/1-0// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 1-2/1-0/1-2/1-1// GB3-• C GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB1 (1-0/0-1)X3// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 4-5/4-3/4-5/1-0/1-2/1-0// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 1-0/1-2/1-0/4-5/4-3/4-5// GB3-• C GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB1 (1-0/0-1)X3// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 2-2/0-0/3-3/1-1/3-3/0-0// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 1-1/3-3/0-0/2-2/0-0/3-3// GB3-C• GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB1 1-0/3-4/1-0/3-4// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB1-FULL A GB1-FULL A GB2 1-2/2-1/1-0/0-1// GB2-• B GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 1-0/0-1/1-2/2-1// GB3-C• GB3-C• GB3-•C GB3-C• GB1 1-0/3-4/1-0/3-4// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB2 1-0/0-1/1-1/1-1// GB2 BB•• GB2 •• BB GB3 1-1/1-1/1-0/0-1// GB3 ••CC GB3 CC•• GB1 1-0/0-1/1-2/2-1// GB1-• A GB1-A• GB2 1-2/2-1/1-0/0-1// GB2-B• GB2-•B GB3 2-3/1-0/2-3/1-0// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/0-1/1-O/O-1// GB1 FULL A GB1 FULL A GB2 1-0/1-2/1-0/1-2/2-3/2-1/2-3/2-1// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB3 2-3/2-1/2-3/2-1/1-0/1-2/1-0/1-2// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/1-2/1-0/0-1// GB1-A • GB1-• A GB1-A • GB1-• A GB2 1-0/O-1/1-0/1-2// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B • GB3 2-3/1-0/2-3/1-0// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/1-2// GB1-A • GB1-• A GB1-A • GB1-• A GB2 1-2/1-0// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B • GB3 1-0/2-3// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/0-1/1-2/2-1// GB1-• A GB1-A• GB1-•A GB1-A• GB2 1-2/2-1/1-0/0-1// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B • GB3 3-4/1-0/3-4/1-0// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/3-4// GB1-FULL A GB2 0-0/0-1// GB2 FULL B GB3 1-0/1-1// GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/3-4// GB1-FULL A GB2 1-0/0-0// GB2 FULL B GB3 1-1/0-1// GB3 FULL C GB1 1-0/0-1/1-2/2-1// GB1-• A GB1-A• GB1-•A GB1-A• GB2 1-2/2-1/1-0/0-1// GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-•B GB2-B • GB3 2-3/1-0/2-3/1-0// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB2 (0-1-1/1-0-0) X2// GB2-A • GB2-• A GB2 GB3 (5-5-5/0-0-0) X2// GB3-• B GB3-•B all possible variants GB4 3-4-0/0-0-1/4-3-8/7-7-6// GB4-•C GB4-•CGB4 GB1 1-0/1-2/2-1/2-3/2-1/1-2// GB1-• A GB2 2-3/2-1/1-2/1-0/1-2/2-1// GB2-• B all possible variants GB3 0-0/1-1// GB3-C• GB4 1-1/0-O// GB4-D• GB1 1-0/1-2/1-0/2-3// GB1-A • GB1-• A GB1-•A GB1-A• GB2 1-0/2-3/1-0/1-2// GB2-• B GB2-B • GB2-•B GB2-B• GB3 4-4/0-0// GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB3 FULL C GB4 2-3/1-0// GB4 FULL D GB4 FULL D GB4 FULL D GB4 FULL D GB1 1-2/1-0//X4 GB1-FULL A GB2 1-0/3-3/1-0/(1-1)X5// GB2-B ••• plus all possible variants GB3 (1-1)X4/1-0/3-3/1-O/1-1/ GB3-••C• GB4 0-1/4-3//X4 GB4 FULL D GB1 1-0/1-2// GB1-FULL A GB2 3-4/1-0// GB2 FULL B plus all possible variants GB3 2-3/2-1/1-0/1-2// GB3-CC•• GB4 1-0/1-2/2-3/2-1// GB4-•CC• GB1 1-0/0-1// GB1-FULL A GB2 0-0/4-4// GB2 FULL B plus all possible variants GB3 1-0/1-2/2-3/2-1// GB3-C• GB4 2-3/2-1/1-0/2-1// GB4-D• GB1 (1-2/2-3)X2 (4-5/3-2) X2// GB1-••AA GB2 (4-5/3-2)X2 (1-0/2-3)X2// GB2-B••B plus all possible variants GB3 (2-3/2-1/1-O/2-3)X2// GB3-•C GB4 (1-O/1-2/2-3/1-2)X2// GB4-•D GB1 1-O/3-4// GB1-• A GB2 0-1/1-0// GB2-• B plus all possible variants GB3 5-5/0-0// GB3-C• GB4 1-0/4-4// GB4-•D GB1 1-0/3-4// GB1-• A GB2 0-1/1-0// GB2-• B plus all possible variants GB3 5-5/0-0// GB3-C• GB4 1-0/4-4// GB4-•D GB1 1-0-0-/3-4-4-// GB1-• A GB2 0-1-1/1-0-0// GB2-• B plus all possible variants GB3 5-5-5/0-0-0// GB3-C• GB4 3-2-4/6-6-0// GB4-•D GB1 1-0-0/5-6-6-// GB1-• A GB2 0-1-1/1-0-0// GB2-• B plus all possible variants GB3 5-5-5/0-0-0// GB3-C• GB4 3-2-4/6-6-0// GB4-•D

With reference to the previous table, GB1, GB2, GB3, GB4 refer to the guiding hooks wherein the threads are threaded. Letters A, B, C and D indicate the type of thread threaded into the slots of the various guiding hooks. Symbol ◯ indicates the lack of thread into the respective slot of the guiding hook and thus, the type of comb silage.

The weft kitted fabric is manufactured with one or more interlinked threads that slide in a crosswise direction relative to the fabric that is formed thanks to the simultaneous or sequence work of the needles used. In the case of machines using sequence needles, the fabric is formed thanks to the single movement of flat needles mounted on both circular and flat machines. For fabrics knitted with needles actuated simultaneously, the knit is formed with a single movement of the needles or, in other types of loom, with the movement of the fabric being formed relative to the needles, which remain stationary. Also in this case, the machinery may be either flat or circular.

FIG. 6 shows a scheme 110 of the weaving of a weft knitted fabric with a circular loom, wherein the manufactured fabric is characterized by the presence of two side links 111 and 112 combined by the weft threads that make up the same fabric. The fabric obtained by the above process may be used as is or it may be cut into two equal portions, resulting in a strip of fabric that exhibits a link and a series of threads connected to the same link, as shown in FIG. 1A. The fabric may be cut into two portions already in the weaving step, thanks to blades 113 arranged mirror-wise on the circular machine, as shown in FIG. 6, resulting into two equal strips of fabric.

The strips thus obtained both with the weft looms and with the warp looms are wound on tubes shaped as reels or as plates and are used for manufacturing mops, plates, fringes, brooms, large brushes and other cleaning articles.

By using strips of fabric as described above, it is possible to reduce the weight of cleaning articles so manufactured, namely to reduce the amount of material used.

The amount of used material may be lower than 40-50% with respect to the material used to manufacture commercially available cleaning articles.

The reduction of the material used to manufacture said cleaning articles is made possible by the larger contact surface that is available with strips of fabric according to the present invention. This allows increasing the amount of water and dust that is held by fibres that compose the strips of fabric, and reducing the drying time of cleaning articles according to the present invention.

For the objects of the present invention, the term mop refers to an article for both household and industrial cleaning 30, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Such article consists of a support made of two parts, that is, a bell 31, which serves for seating the handle hook, and a fork 32 which, interlocked into special seats into the bell, retains the textile support 5 that makes up the mop cleaning part.

For the objects of the present invention, the term plate refers to an article for both household and industrial cleaning 50, shown by way of an example in the annexed FIG. 4, consisting of a shaped bouclé fabric 5 applied on a flat textile support, which exhibits two side pockets 51 suitable for seating a plastic or metal support whereon a handle is applied.

For the objects of the present invention, the term fringe refers to an article for both household and industrial cleaning 40, shown by way of an example in the annexed FIG. 3, consisting of multiple textile support strips 5 which are combined in one or more points so as to create a flat fabric mass. Such flat mass, assembled to a relative handle, allows cleaning large surfaces such as floors.

Both the plates and the fringes may be of the dry type, that is, that do not require water and detergents for performing their cleaning function, or of the wet type, which require the use of water and/or detergents suitable for dirt removal.

As regards the manufacture of mops, the fabric strips are assembled with the traditional continuous assembly techniques, and optionally cut or trimmed in the free portion so as to form a cut thread mop.

The same procedure is performed for producing plates and fringes used for removing dust or other solid material present on the floors.

Unlike what happens in the production of stiff fringes or plates, the fabric strips are stitched on the surface of a flat textile support, such as for example a run-resist fabric, thanks to the use of the Tufting technology. To prevent the boucles formed by the stitched fabric as described from being easily removed, a single bouclé or double bouclé fabric is used as flat support, with weft and warp of conventional materials and polypropylene (PP) bouclé which, after having undergone the stitching, is heated at such temperature as to allow the PP softening. After the polymer solidification, the support remains stiff and the boucles formed by the stitching of the fabric strips are integrally retained by the same polymer, preventing the stitched fabric from being removed, damaging the fringed plate.

All the articles for household or industrial cleaning produced according to the present invention may be manufactured with strips of cut or continuous knitted fabric.

The materials used, either along or in combination, in the production of the fabric strips according to the present invention, indicated with the international abbreviation according to the DIN 60.001 standard, are as follows:

-   -   Yarns of natural fibres, organic CO/CO, KL, LI, HA, JU, RA, SI,         AB, CC, Bamboo, Wooden fibre, Fibre obtained from soy, Corn         fibre.     -   Yarns of animal fibres, WO, Wv, WL, WG, WU, WK, WN, WA, WM, WS,         WY, HR, HS, HZ, SE, ST.     -   Yarns of chemical fibres obtained from natural polymers, CV,         CMD, CLY, CUP, CA, CTA, PES, PE, PP, PVAL.     -   Yarns of chemical fibres obtained from synthetic polymers, EL,         ED, PTFE, PAN, MAC, PA, AR, CLF, PES, PE, PP, PVAL.     -   Yarns obtained from inorganic substances, GF, CF, MTF.     -   Antibacterial and/or bactericide yarns

On the basis of the description provided, other characteristics, modifications or improvements are possible and evident to a person skilled in the art. These characteristics, modifications and improvements should therefore be considered a part of the present invention. In practice, the materials used and the contingent dimensions and forms can be any, according to requirements and to the state of the art. 

1. Article for household or industrial cleaning comprising one or more flexible elements intended for contacting a surface to be cleaned, characterized in that said flexible elements comprise a fabric of the knitted type.
 2. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible elements comprise a fabric of the warp knitted type.
 3. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said flexible elements comprise a fabric of the weft knitted type.
 4. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said fabric is manufactured with knitting looms of the Raschel type, circular machines or circular machines for sliver knitting.
 5. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said fabric is manufactured in strips.
 6. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said article is selected from the group consisting of: Mops Fringes Dry fringes Plates Brooms Large brushes
 7. Article for cleaning according to claim 6, characterized in that said plates consist of a flat textile support comprising one or more threads of a plastic material.
 8. Article for cleaning according to claim 7, characterized in that said thermo-setting plastic material is polypropylene.
 9. Article for cleaning according to claim 7, characterized in that the knitted fabric strips are applied to said flat textile support by a tufting method.
 10. Article for cleaning according to claim 1, characterized in that said fabric consists of at least one material selected from the group consisting of: Yarns of natural fibres, preferably organic CO/CO, KL, LI, HA, JU, RA, SI, AB, CC, Bamboo, Wooden fibre, Fibre obtained from soy, Corn fibre. Yarns of animal fibres, preferably WO Wv WL WG WU WK WN WA WM WS WY HR HS HZ SE ST. Yarns of chemical fibres obtained from natural polymers, preferably CV, CMD, CLY, CUP, CA, CTA, PES, PE, PP, PVAL. Yarns of chemical fibres obtained from synthetic polymers, preferably EL, ED, PTFE, PAN, MAC, PA, AR, CLF, PES, PE, PP, PVAL. Yarns obtained from inorganic substances, preferably GF, CF, MTF. Antibacterial and/or bactericide yarns. 